


Bravery In Darkness

by helens78



Category: Sharpe (TV)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-11-10
Updated: 2005-11-10
Packaged: 2017-10-05 20:03:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helens78/pseuds/helens78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Harper's flogging, Sharpe has ideas on how to stay close.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bravery In Darkness

Sharpe's hand traced the air over Harper's back. Harper groaned.

"Christ, sir, stop it. You'll make the damned thing itch."

Sharpe made a face. "Sorry," he muttered. Harper rolled over on his side to look at him, eyebrows raised. "What's that for?" Sharpe asked. "And lie down again; you'll break them open."

Harper lay down on his stomach, head turned so he could keep looking at Sharpe. "I just wondered what you were thinking, sir, is all. When you didn't quite touch me."

Sharpe didn't answer. He'd been thinking about the scars the flogging would likely leave, those and the ones on his own back. Hakeswill had made brothers out of them, both flogged for things Hakeswill had done and given them the blame for. It was damned unfair. And yet part of Sharpe was proud, grateful even, that Harper was joining him in this ugly brotherhood of innocent scars. The guilt over that would probably keep his mouth shut forever.

"I'm going to miss it, too," Harper said.

Sharpe paused, then grinned a little. "If it gets bad enough we'll think of something."

"Hopefully something that won't leave me stretching. God save Ireland! It's going to hurt if these bastards break open."

It would, Sharpe knew; he remembered that only too well. "I've got ideas about that."

"Yeah? Tell me."

"Not show you?"

"I couldn't get hard if you were on your back begging, so telling should do fine, sir."

Sharpe coughed, blushing at the image. "I knew a girl once who wasn't afraid to kiss below the waist."

"Brave girl."

"So she was, Pat, so she was. I nearly married her just for that, though."

Harper was silent a few seconds. "Are you thinking I might offer to make an honest man of you, sir?" he asked softly.

"I'm braver than most girls."

There was a moment of silence, and then Harper said, "I think I owe you an apology, sir."

"Oh? For what?"

"I lied, earlier."

"About what?" Sharpe asked, confused and frowning.

Harper fumbled in the darkness for Sharpe's hand. After a little effort, he had it shoved under his body with Sharpe's palm cradling Harper's hard prick.

"And you're not even begging," Harper breathed, "though God knows you'd sound fine doing it, Dick."

"Maybe someday, Pat," Sharpe said softly. "But not today." He gave Harper a good grope. "Today I thought I'd show you how brave I am."

"God save Ireland," Harper whispered. "Then maybe it'll be me begging, sir."

"Let's find out."

_-end-_


End file.
